Connecticut Vital Records

Connecticut vital records are official documents that record life events that occurred in the state. Life events are considered major turning points in a person's life, and they may include significant milestones such as birth, death, marriage, divorce, and adoption.

Connecticut's public records law generally allows access to non-confidential details in vital records. Inquirers are typically required to be above the legal age before requesting vital records in the state. Such records are under the purview of designated local and state-level agencies. These agencies are responsible for recording and issuing copies of the record to interested parties. Record seekers may find vital records in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Public Access to Connecticut Vital Records

Public access to Connecticut vital records may vary based on the type of life event. For example, Sec. 7-51 restricts public access to birth records that are less than 100 years old. Such records are also accessible to parties like the record subject, parents, guardians, and their legal representatives.

However, the Connecticut open records laws allow the general public to access most information in marriage, death, and divorce records. Interested parties only need to follow set guidelines to obtain the record from designated agencies. The Connecticut State Archives is one of the many custodian agencies responsible for issuing copies of vital records to the public.

Types of Vital Records Available in Connecticut

Types of vital records in Connecticut include the following:

• Birth records: These official files contain information about birth events. Birth records typically reveal the record subject's personal information and the parents' names, occupations, and addresses.
• Death records: Death records provide details about persons who died in the state. Public members may access the deceased's personal information, cause of death, and coroner's report in a death record.
• Marriage records: This refers to the official recordings of legal unions that occurred in Colorado. The record may include the couple's personal details, place and date of marriage, and witnesses at the marriage event.
• Divorce records: These are court documents regarding the dissolution of legally recognized unions. These records may include court data like case summaries, court orders, and judgments.

Birth, death, and marriage records fall under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The department only issues certified copies of these records. Informational copies may be available at the county or town where the life event occurred.

Connecticut Birth Records

Connecticut birth certificates typically include these details:

• The record subject's personal information, like names, birthdate, and sex.
• Names of parents, including the mother's maiden name.
• Other information about the parents, such as their age, occupation, and residence.
• The hospital or birthing center where the birth occurred.

Only eligible parties may request and obtain birth records that are less than 100 years old. Under the state law, eligible parties include:

• The record subject who is 18 years or above.
• Immediate relations like parents, siblings, and grandparents.
• Attorney-at-law representing the record subject
• Persons backed by a court order
• Government personnel in the line of performing an official duty.

Eligible parties may find birth certificates in Connecticut by contacting the local- or state-level agencies. The Connecticut Department of Public Health, via the Office of Vital Statistics, provides statewide access to birth certificates. The agency may attend to mail-in or in-person requests for records at this address:

Mail address

Physical address

At the local level, you can find birth certificates created after 2003 at any of the local-level vital records offices. On the other hand, birth records created prior to 2003 are only available at the county or town where the event occurred.

Connecticut Death Records

Connecticut death records provide information on the following:

• The deceased name, age, address, and occupation.
• The surviving spouse.
• Place and date of death.
• Medical report, including the cause of death.
• Funeral director or coroner's name and other related information.
• Name of next of kin.

Death records are mostly accessible to the public in Connecticut. However, the state restricts public access to the deceased's social security number if the death occurred after July 1, 1997. Only the following parties may view confidential divorce information:

• All parties listed on the death certificate, including relations and the funeral director.
• State or federal agencies authorized by federal law.

You may find death certificates in Connecticut under the purview of the State Vital Records Office. The state may provide the record upon receiving a completed request form either via mail or in person.

In contrast, you may access death records from any of the local vital records offices in Connecticut. You are typically required to present a completed form to the agency.

Connecticut Marriage Records

Connecticut marriage records reveal information about a marriage event and may include these details:

• The couple's personal data, like names, age, and sex.
• Residential address.
• Place and date of the marriage event.
• Witnesses at the marriage event.
• Parents of the couples.
• The name of the officiating minister or personnel.
• Previous marital status.

There are no restrictions on who is eligible to access the records. Persons or entities seeking to find marriage certificates in Connecticut may do so by sending a completed request form to the State Vital Records Office at:

Mail address

Physical address

Local vital records offices also maintain copies of marriage certificates. You may find the nearest vital records office via an online directory.

Connecticut Divorce Records

Connecticut divorce records are court documents that reveal information about dissolved unions. The record may include these details:

• Couple's names, ages, and residential addresses.
• Reasons for the divorce.
• Number of children in the dissolved union.
• Place and date of the divorce event.
• Marriage date.
• Court-related information, including case number, docket, and judgment.

To find divorce decrees in Connecticut, inquirers are typically required to contact the designated record custodians. For example, you may look up the divorce case information via an online search database maintained by the Connecticut Judicial Branch. Superior court clerks and judicial district clerks' offices may offer access to divorce decrees in Connecticut. These entities maintain records of divorce cases heard within areas under their jurisdiction.

How to Order Vital Records in Connecticut

You can order Connecticut vital records via any of these options:

Online orders for Connecticut vital records

You may look up vital records via online repositories maintained by government entities. For example, the Connecticut Judicial Branch maintained an online searchable database for divorce records. The Connecticut State Library also hosts a search platform for marriage indexes.

Inquirers must provide relevant information to retrieve vital records from these platforms.

Mail-in orders for Connecticut vital records

You may order Connecticut vital records via mail-based requests to the record custodians. Inquirers are generally required to follow these steps when requesting vital records:

1. Complete the required form:
   1. Request form for a marriage certificate.
   2. Request form for birth certificate.
   3. Request form for a death certificate.
2. Make a copy of a valid government-issued ID.
3. Attach the required fees to the request. The state vital records office only accepts money orders for mail-based requests. The fees for accessing certified vital records are outlined below:
   1. $30 for a certified copy of a birth certificate.
   2. $20 for a certified copy of a death certificate.
   3. $20 for a certified copy of a marriage certificate.
4. Send the required documents and fees to the state's Office of Vital Records at:

State of Connecticut Department of Public Health

Alternatively, you may mail the request to any of the local-level vital records offices in Connecticut.

In-person orders for Connecticut vital records

Local- and state-level record custodians may attend to in-person requests at their physical location. To obtain records in person, inquirers must provide relevant search data and valid identification. You can obtain vital records like marriage, birth, and death records from the state and local-level vital records offices. The State Vital Records Office attends to in-person inquiries at:

Connecticut Department of Public Health

State Vital Records Office

Alternatively, you may use the local directory to locate the nearest vital records office.

Who Can Request Connecticut Vital Records?

The general public can request most vital records in Connecticut. Marriage, birth, and divorce records are largely accessible to the public. However, the state may redact confidential information in these records. For example, the state redacts a deceased's Social Security number from death certificates. Only the deceased's immediate relations, next of kin, and funeral director may access this information.

Unlike other vital records, all information in birth certificates is confidential and is only accessible to parties such as the following:

• The record subject who is 18 years old or above.
• Immediate family relations, like parents, spouse, children, and siblings.
• Persons backed by a court order to access the record.
• The record subject's legal representatives.
• Government officials.

Record Type	Eligible Requestors	Required Documents	Official Source Link
Birth Certificate	Registrant (if adult) Parents/Legal Guardians Immediate family (varies by state) Legal representatives Individuals with a court order Government officials	May require ID, proof of relationship, or court documents	Connecticut Department of Public Health State Vital Records Office 410 Capitol Avenue, 1st Floor Hartford, CT 06106 https://portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/how-to-obtain-a-record?language=en_US
Death Certificate	Anyone (except for confidential information)	The social security number may be restricted in some jurisdictions	Connecticut Department of Public Health State Vital Records Office 410 Capitol Avenue, 1st Floor Hartford, CT 06106 https://portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/how-to-obtain-a-record?language=en_US
Marriage Record	Anyone (if unrestricted) Otherwise, eligible requestors vary by county	Some states limit certified copies to spouses or their legal representatives	Connecticut Department of Public Health State Vital Records Office 410 Capitol Avenue, 1st Floor Hartford, CT 06106 https://portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/how-to-obtain-a-record?language=en_US
Divorce Record	Anyone (if unrestricted) Otherwise, parties named in the record or legal representatives	Certified copies often require a photo ID or a court request	https://jud.ct.gov/directory/directory/location/default.htm

Processing Times for Connecticut Vital Records Requests

In Connecticut, a vital record processing time may vary based on the request option and document type. Based on the request option, the State Vital Records Office may take up to 12 weeks to process vital record requests. The processing time may be shorter if you make the request at a local vital records office. In-person requests also have a shorter timeline, as the agency may retrieve the document on the same day as the request.

Certified records may have a longer processing time since they require getting a seal of authentication from a designated official. Factors like request backlogs and government shutdowns can also affect the processing timeline for vital record requests.

Record Type	Factors That Influence Processing Time	Considerations
Birth Certificate	Request method (mail, in-person) Verification of eligibility Volume of requests	Restricted access records require additional review
Death Certificate	Inclusion or redaction of social security number. County vs. state processing Method of submission	Some counties have longer retrieval times Additional documentation may be required
Marriage Record	County of record Whether a search is required Request method	Certified copies may take longer than informational copies
Divorce Record	Court retrieval procedures Complexity of the case Request method	Timelines vary by court and county Expedited processing may be available

Fees for Obtaining Vital Records in Connecticut

In Connecticut, there are no state-specific fees for requesting vital records. The fees vary based on the agency handling the request and the document type. For example, Connecticut birth certificates cost $30 per copy, while it costs $20 to obtain a copy of a divorce record.

County-level agencies may set varying fees, which may depend on the request option. For instance, mail-based requests may incur additional costs in the form of express mail services.

How to Search Vital Records Online in Connecticut

You may search Connecticut vital records online through various official repositories. These online repositories may include the Connecticut Judicial Branch's search portal, which provides information on divorce case summaries. The State Archive also maintains an online searchable database for Connecticut genealogy records.